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The Mistwood
Half a day's travel away from The City of the Lost lies a twisted wall of trees, wreathed in strange mists and mired in supernatural foreboding. The very air itself seems polluted with despair and misery. I would expect no less from anything that dares to flourish in The Beyond. -- Journal of the Waking Wayfarer Description The Mistwood, named so because of the endless foggy mists plaguing it despite any other weather effect happening at any given time, is a huge expanse of forest located south of The City of the Lost. As of now, its true expanse has not yet been estimated. The foliage and terrain of the forest, while relatively-normal looking from the outside (if such a thing could be said of The Beyond,) prove to be harrowing to even the most seasoned forest ranger once delved into. The mists seem to mute the effects of colors and lights, sucking the vibrancy out of its inhabitants in both the literal and physical sense. There is at once a deathly silence and an unnerving atmosphere to behold once one is deep into the woods. At times, it seems as if the forest itself is holding its breath, waiting to see what course its unfortunate dwellers will take next, and silently hoping that whatever it is, it will be their last. Geography Despite the psychologically difficult nature of navigating the Mistwood and its dangerous inhabitants, in physical geographic terms it is not much more difficult to navigate than an equivalent forest in a different world. Those who are unprepared for one of these elements should tread lightly, and those who will not fare well with any should do well to steer clear to safer environs. Despite its dangers, the Mistwood has a wealth of resources, both natural and supernatural. Those with the mettle to brave and survive the choking fog can sometimes profit. Lumberjacks and trappers skirt the outer rim of the woods, bringing back decent quantity of skins, furs, lumber, and other goods when they come back at all. Those that delve deeper and live to tell the tale speak of more wondrous items and bountiful wealth, though a lot of these individuals' mental states could be called into question. History Despite existing theoretically as long as the City has, the Mistwood has little history behind it. It has long been considered generally an all-around bad move for City dwellers to leave the relatively safe confines of its walls, and the inherent hazards of the forest have proved an effective deterrent for anyone save for the brave, foolhardy, or suicidal. Around ten or so years ago, a few of said characters did exactly this with the intent to live within the Mistwood's gnarled confines. Apparently unable to resist the call of the wild even when so perverted with whatever curses blanketing the Beyond, they have established a relatively stable presence in the Northern regions of the forest, funded by the city in exchange for protection from the forest's denizens. Inhabitants As with all yet discovered territory in The Beyond, the Mistwood is home to all matters of horrors, vicious animals, malicious fey, and hungering zombies being just a few of the typical haunts. The Mistwood Rangers This small company of nature souls is relatively new. Occupying relatively small and spread-out outposts scattered throughout the Northern portion of the forest, they are a hardy, if somewhat impersonal, bunch. While the motivations of each member differ moderately from one another, they work well together in order to protect the City from the dangers lurking in the woods whilst simultaneously enjoying the autonomy of being able to live off the land, free of the perils of city life. Sage of The Mists A mysterious, almost legendary figure, the Sage of The Mists has been spotted on rare occasions. Stories include powerful displays of control over the Mistwood's flora, fauna, and terrain. Points of Interest Camp Watershed The de-facto stronghold of the Mistwood Rangers, Camp Watershed is a small base camp at the Northernmost outskirts of the forest. Maintained by no less than three rangers at any given time, this camp is intended to serve as a bastion of safety amongst an untamed wilderness.